NHS charity funds new technology for Bronglais Hospital to help combat liver disease

Pictured, left to right, with the fibro scanner: Rhian Jones, Alcohol Liaison Nurse; Zoe Merritt, Blue Light Alcohol Liaison Nurse; Donna Blinston, Hepatology Advanced Nurse Practitioner.

Thanks to your generous donations, Hywel Dda Health Charities – the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board – has funded a new fibro scanner worth over £80,000 for Bronglais General Hospital to help diagnose and manage liver disease.

A fibro scanner is a specialised ultrasound machine for the liver which measures fibrosis (scarring) and steatosis (fatty change) within the liver. It is a non-invasive test which stages the severity of a patient’s liver disease and supports the management of conditions in patients with chronic liver disease.

The new state-of-the art fibro scanner will deliver the latest technology to patients at Bronglais. The machine is mobile and can be taken into the community to substance misuse clinics, GP clinics and patients’ homes; it also has advanced features and diagnostic tools which can speed up the diagnosis of liver disease.

Donna Blinston, Hepatology Advanced Nurse Practitioner, said: “Liver disease is mostly an invisible disease until it becomes more advanced, and if undiagnosed and untreated, patients go on to develop irreversible cirrhosis of the liver.

“The new fibro scanner will be of great benefit for patients in the Bronglais catchment area, ensuring that they benefit from up-to-date technology and are able to receive timely scans in local venues.”

Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”